


Monsters

by FeatheredShadows



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: BAMF Percy Jackson, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Light Angst, M/M, Not Time Travel, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-03-04
Packaged: 2019-10-02 23:03:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17272811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeatheredShadows/pseuds/FeatheredShadows
Summary: It's the year 2639 and Percy Jackson has been dead for centuries. But the monsters who have been trapped for nearly as long have escaped, and the Gods are forced to bring Percy and the rest of the Seven back to life - to save the world one more time. What will happen if the Seven can't face the ghosts of their past?





	1. Red Sky in the Morning

**THIRD PERSON**

**I**

* * *

 

Screams of pain and fear echo through the picturesque valley. The shadows of campers flit through the trees, panicked. They're dying. They're all dying and they know it. There is still enough light to see by – which is surprising, given the time. They wish they couldn't see. The evening sky is red as blood, oddly fitting for such a day.

It's too late by the time Chiron hears. When he arrives tomorrow morning – exhausted from galloping through the night – he will arrive to find a mass grave. He will think that, if only he had been here, he could have prevented this. They had gotten cocky. Out of practice.

The bodies pile high as the dark, seething force advances. The monsters have escaped. They tear through the camp and city in a lethal cloud of razor sharp claws, blood stained teeth, flashing metal, and glinting red eyes. Too long, they've been caged. The monsters have escaped – and may the gods help the world now that they have.

* * *

 

'What chores do you have tomorrow?' Jess inquired as she walked back towards the cabins with Aiden, sore and bruised from training.

 

'Guard duty,' Aiden replied, 'I really don't see the point in it. It's not like anything's happened there in living memory. For all we know, monsters don't even exist.'

 

'Are you willing to take that risk, though? I wonder what the world would be like if the monsters were still free. Maybe some of us would actually get powers from our godly parents. Maybe we would even get prophecies… and quests!'

 

'Okay, powers from Bachus? That would be quite cool. But you know how it used to be. Like Percy Jackson – he had amazing powers and lived until he was 48. That was considered extreme old age for a demigod in those days.' Aiden stated calmly, used to arguing with the hot headed daughter of Hephaestus.

 

'I know, I know. But being a demigod is just so boring now. Imagine how cool it would be if I could control fire.' conceded Jess. 'Will you be at the campfire later?'

 

'Yeah, I'll see you there. And if you had power over fire?' Aiden shuddered. 'That wouldn't be cool, that would be plain terrifying.' The two demigods turned and walked away from each other, both wanting to get a quick shower in before dinner and the campfire. 

* * *

 

The Apollo cabin was leading the campfire that night, as they always did. The campers were all sitting around the fire, toasting marshmallows on sticks and chatting as they waited for the Apollo cabin counsellor to begin speaking.

 

'Hundreds of years ago, when the gods were still relatively new to America, monsters roamed free. It fell to the demigods to protect the mortals and themselves. In the early 21st century, monster activity was the highest it had been since Ancient Greece – and two Great Prophecies came to fruition within a year of each other.'

The flames immediately rose another metre higher, turning nearly golden in colour. The entire front row's marshmallows immediately melted off their sticks. Everyone loved this story.

 

'Percy Jackson. Annabeth Chase. Jason Grace. Piper Mclean. Hazel Levesque. Frank Zhang. Leo Valdez. These were the greatest demigods since the Ancient World. But one was more powerful than the rest. Percy Jackson. A demigod who's strength easily outmatched even that of Ares. Thought of by many as the next Heracles. He slew the Minotaur at 12, and Polydeuces at 13. He earned Artemis's approval at 14. At 15 he journeyed the labyrinth - witnessing the fading of Pan, the rising of Kronos and the defeat of Kampe. At 16 he became one of three people to survive taking on the curse of Achilles, single handedly defeated the of the Lord of the Dead's army and saved the world after defeating not one, but two titans. And at 17? He journeyed through Tartarus and closed the doors of death. He was one of the Seven, who defeated Gaia and allowed us to be here today. He fought side by side with his father, Poseidon, during the second Giant War. However, it was during this war with Gaia that some began to realise the fruitlessness of the old demigod way of life. Kill a monster? They come right back through the doors of death. But then someone finally asked – what if you don't kill a monster? What if you trap it instead? It wouldn't be for many, many more years that this idea was put into practise. The half-bloods of old would never have condoned it, but that was just Chiron poisoning their minds, making them fight and die all their lives. Monsters no longer roam the earth hunting down demigods. Back in 2196, a son of Athena captured the first monster, changing camp and what it meant to be a demigod forever. In under a century, almost every known monster was captured and imprisoned, in the remnants of the labyrinth under Camp Half-Blood's woods. But the story of how the labyrinth finally closed for good is a long one, and a story for another night. Now, everyone together – how does grandma put her armour on? With actions please every-'

 

The sound of loud roaring and distant screaming echoed from the woods.

* * *

 

The camp director was a twenty-two year old son of Hermes. He was the oldest demigod at camp, and so director by default. He had no real experience – no one did – but he rallied the demigods bravely. He led the charge into the woods, determined to protect his mum who was living in the city of New Athens only a couple of miles away. He was the first to die, to have his throat ripped out by a hellhound. A few hours later, every demigod in camp was dead. By the morning, the ground was saturated with blood and the death had spraed to the city.

The monsters roamed across the continent, returning to their old haunts. Hungry and humiliated they settled down to lick their wounds and prepare. They would get their revenge, and today's demigods were weak. They wouldn't know what hit them.


	2. Old Souls

**CHIRON AND THALIA**

**II**

Chiron's hooves thudded against the blood soaked ground. His white coat was stained with sweat, and his legs streaked with the rusty red of blood. The soft sound was absorbed into the silence of death hanging heavily in the morning air. His eyes clouded with despair as he picked his way through the still familiar forest. So many. So many dead. He didn't know these demigods. He had been sacked as camp director many years ago. Apparently, centaurs were slightly too close to a monster for comfort. He was still here, though, so he could assume he was still needed. He stepped over yet another small body. Children. Mere children He'd forgotten how small they looked in death. He advanced further into the woods, bow raised and ready with an arrow.

 

Suddenly he turned; prepared to fire an arrow into the bush from which he had heard rustling moments ago. He tensed, preparing to take aim, until a girl dressed in tight fitting black jeans and a silvery jacket emerged from the shrubbery, an arrow trained on him suspiciously.

 

'Chiron?' the girl asked, her blue eyes widening in recognition as she lowered her weapon. 'I haven't seen you in centuries! What happened here? And you look terrible - are you alright?' She laughed darkly. 'Of course you're not alright. Stupid question, but you know what I mean.'

 

'Thalia?' The centaur realised. 'I don't know for sure what happened. But I do have an idea, and I think you do too. But if I'm right… As for how I am, it's more exhaustion than anything else. I galloped all night to get here as quickly as I could – but, alas, I was too late.'

 

'What do you mean get here? You weren't here?'

 

'No, child, I was fired hundreds of years ago. I'm a centaur. That's slightly too close to a monster. The hunt heard about that son of Athena, didn't you? The one who locked the monsters up?' Seeing Thalia nod, Chiron continued explaining. 'Just over 150 years after Percy died, things started getting bad again. All the monsters he had sent to Tartarus were coming back, and this time he wasn't there to fight them. One demigod thought that if he locked all the monsters away, demigods could finally live in peace. His heart was in the right place, but it didn't work as he wanted it to. They started capturing peaceful monsters. Peleus was the first. When I saw that I knew I had to run. I took the Golden Fleece and fled to Camp Jupiter. They didn't feel the loss of the Seven quite as badly over there, and still remember the wars clearly, not the twisted lies they passed down on this side of America. Eventually, demigods forgot the fear they used to live in. They forgot why they trained. As they grew weaker, they inherited less and less power from their parents. It became a vicious cycle of steadily weakened defences. I apologise for my rather long winded explanation, child, but it's been years since I've taught anything other than languages.'

 

'It's fine Chiron, really,' Thalia replied, 'Gods, I just had no idea it had gotten so bad here. I stopped visiting after Percy died.'

 

'Completely understandable my dear, but I meant to ask; what have the Hunters been doing? There's been nothing to hunt here for nearly half a millennium.'

 

'We've been in the Mediterranean. Apparently they weren't quite as thorough as they would have you believe.' Thalia glared at a warped shield lying on the ground. Chiron sighed, not wanting to open long scarred wounds.

 

'That wasn't the worst it got. You remember how the gods used to have to abide to laws about not interfering with the lives of their children?' He finally managed to continue.

 

"Of course. But that was years ago, Percy used his wish after the Titan war to get demigods claimed younger, and his wish after the second giant war to repeal those laws. Why, did they not follow through on their word?

 

'They tried, they really did. But when the demigods began to alienate themselves, there was only so much the gods could do. Eventually… they just gave up. I don't know what we're going to do now. The gods now, with the exception of Artemis, are more withdrawn from the mortal world than I have ever seen them. This is half the known demigods in the world. Dead.' Thalia reached up and rested a hand on Chiron's withers reassuringly.

 

'Come on, let's keep looking. There might be some survivors further in.'

 

The two old friends continued through the forest, the destruction getting worse and worse as they got closer to Zeus's fist. The bodies were no longer even recognisable as human. They carefully picked their way around the carnage, not wanting to disrespect the dead. As they entered the clearing surrounding the pile of boulders, the destruction reached an entire new level. The rocks had been completely demolished, and claw marks surrounded the old entrance to the labyrinth.

 

'Quick, lower me down.'

 

'Thalia, I don't know if that's a good idea – '

 

'Chiron, I am over 600 years old. I am the oldest living daughter of Zeus and the lieutenant to the Hunters of Artemis. I think I can handle it. And we need to see what happened down there.'

 

Thalia's eyes burned into Chiron's, her glare showing that she had made up her mind and no one could dissuade her now. Gods, he had missed this.

* * *

 

Thalia landed heavily on the floor of what used to be the labyrinth, holding a torch in one hand and with a rope tied around her waist. Her nose wrinkled in disgust. Five centuries worth of monster waste was not a pleasant smell. She swung the torch left and right, along the dark passage to either side. She saw nothing but darkness. Then, suddenly, the beam of her torch caught two reptilian eyes, glowing in the foreign light. Placing the torch in her mouth, she silently drew her bow – preparing to shoot. The eyes blinked, and before she could release a fatal shot, the creature lumbered forwards.

 

'Peleus?' Thalia asked in amazement. The dragon was enormous, but badly scratched and scarred. He clumsily moved closer, bowing his head and making a pathetic rumbling noise in the back of his throat. Did he... did he remember her?

 

"Hey there boy. Long time no see, yeah? What's it been, a couple of centuries? What do you say we get you out of here? Yeah?' Peleus snorted into her face, making her laugh. 'I'll take that as a yes then' she laughed. 'Hey, Chiron. You still as strong as you were in the good old days?'

 

Once Peleus had been removed from the labyrinth - a process which included much grunting, cursing, and injuring of egos - the only three living beings in the vicinity trudged through the remains of the camp. Not even the birds were singing. The silence was deafening. Lava from the climbing rock and kitchens was pooling where the climbing rock had once stood. The only thing even remotely recognisable was the big house. A hole had been blown into the top floor, and old pictures scattered the ground. Thalia stepped forwards, looking in shock at the remains of the camp she had guarded for so long. Her eyes were immediately drawn to a picture of Percy and Annabeth, standing arm in arm, soaking wet. The year after Kronos's defeat. She looked around for more. Her and Percy and Annabeth. Nico, Jason, and Percy. Jason and Piper. Frank, Hazel, Calypso, Leo, and Reyna. They all looked so happy. She spotted another picture – her, Luke, and Annabeth. She picked it up and put it in her pocket. They had to do something. This was all she had left of them.

 

'Chiron. What do we do now?'

 

'First, I'm taking you to the Grove of Dodona. After that? I don't know what we can do.'

 

'I'll tell you what we're going to do.' Thalia's eyes blazed in the morning sun. 'We're going to Olympus, Chiron. Pack your bags.'

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also posted on fanfiction.net.


	3. Chiron gets a Headache

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to start being more active on tumblr so feel free to go there for sneak peaks of upcoming chapters/general rambling. My username is feathered-shadows04

**CHIRON**

**III**

* * *

 

He could hear it before he could see it, the overwhelming cacophony of whispers ringing in his head. He sighed and rubbed his eyes, trying desperately to clear his head before going through the gates. Sighing, he stepped forwards and immediately got a piercing headache that he knew wouldn't shift for days. Reaching the middle of the clearing, Chiron stopped.

'Great Dodona, how can we fix this?' he asked. 'Is there anything we can do?'

The branches seemed to sway more in the windless air, the volume of the incessant voices increasing tenfold.

 

'When Athens falls to monster's revenge

That living heroes can't avenge

Warriors of old won't face their ghosts

And lose their battles on enemy coasts

 

The air shall become the abyss's breath

Condemning the leader to worse than death

Leaving friend's fate in enemy hands

And unleashing hell across the lands.'

 

The whispers faded from overwhelming to merely deafening. Chiron staggered through the opening in the trees, ashen faced and trembling.

'Thalia, get on my back. You were right. We need the Olympian's help with this. As soon as possible. We're going to the Empire State Building.'

'Oh shit.' Thalia groaned. 'It must be really bad to shake you like that.' She rearranged Chiron's saddlebags and vaulted onto his back. 'Let's go.'

Chiron took off at a gallop, air streaming past his face and whipping away his tears. He tried not to think about the reason the ground was so soft under his hooves.

* * *

 

'Lord Zeus. Please, I beg you; call a council of the Olympians. In all the years I've known you have I ever given you cause to doubt me on a matter like this?'

 

'Look, Chiron. I refuse to listen to this. The monsters have been safely locked away for centuries. Why would they escape now? How would they escape now? This is a closed matter. Goodbye, Thalia. Chiron.' Zeus rose from his throne and started to glow, prepared to flash away.

 

'Dad!' Thalia yelled, 'I haven't asked you for anything since the second giant war. Please just give Chiron a chance.'

 

Zeus looked down at Thalia, and seemed to weigh something mentally. 'Fine,' Zeus sighed, 'I will call a council of the Olympians. But this is your birthday present okay Thalia?'

 

Thalia crossed her arms in front of her chest. 'It is if you get Hades here, too.'

 

Zeus shook his head, stunned, and snapped his fingers, before slumping back in his throne. 'Deal.' Twelve blinding lights appeared in the throne room, forcing Thalia and Chiron to look away. When they turned back all twelve Olympians – and Hades – were sitting in traditional Greek dress on their thrones.

 

'What is the meaning of this, Zeus,' Athena asked, 'the summer solstice was only a week ago. What could possibly have happened in the past week that would be pressing enough to summon the entire council? Including Hades?'

 

Zeus didn't say anything, and just gestured towards the blood and sweat covered duo standing in the centre of the circle of congregated gods. Chiron stepped forwards, favouring his front left leg ever so slightly.

 

'Yesterday, I heard news of a disturbance in what's left of the magical boundaries surrounding Camp Half-Blood.' The gods all shifted uncomfortably in their seats, looking around and muttering under their breaths. They may not be on the best terms with their children, but they still worried. They all turned back to Chiron, eager to learn what had happened. 'I left Camp Jupiter immediately, and galloped all night. I arrived at Camp Half-Blood early this morning to… what can only be described as a blood bath.' All the gods were gripping the arms of their thrones with claw like hands, staring in shock and horror at Chiron. 'As far as I can tell, the imprisoned monsters escaped. I don't think there were any survivors.' By this point some of the gods were smoking or glowing. 'I found Thalia near Zeus's fist. I lowered her down into what used to be the labyrinth, and she confirmed that the monsters have escaped. The only one left there was Peleus, who we rescued and left on Half-Blood Hill. There was no sign of Mrs O'Leary, or the camp director. We assume he is dead. They killed everyone in the city, too. Upon realising how dire the situation was, I took Thalia to visit the grove of Dodona.' At this point Apollo looked like he was about to faint, remembering his own experience with the grove.

 

'And?' Artemis pressed, leaning forwards. 'Did you get a prophecy?'

 

Chiron took a deep breath, before reciting it. ''When Athens falls to monster's revenge, That living heroes can't avenge, Warriors of old won't face their ghosts, And lose their battles on enemy coasts, The air shall become the abyss's breath, Condemning the leader to worse than death, Leaving friend's fate in enemy hands, Unleashing hell across the lands.'

 

If it was possible, the gods' faces paled even further. 'Well, that isn't good.' Dionysus drawled.

 

'L-living heroes?' Athena stuttered, before turning to her father. 'It couldn't be. Not that one. Not now.'

 

'Whoa. Let's take this one world destroying prophecy at a time, Thena.' Dionysus slurred.

 Zeus was nursing the beginning of a headache. How was he meant to get a break from the wine god now that Camp Half-Blood was gone? He thought, struggling to process the huge amounts of information he had just been given.

 

'Hades?' Apollo started. 'What do you think? Is it time?'

 

'I don't know.' the god of the dead ran his hand through his hair. 'It's possible. And if it is, it would be better to do it sooner rather than later.'

 

'I agree,' Aphrodite added, 'I can't wait to see the continuation of this love story.'

 

'Aphrodite has a point,' Zeus finally weighed in, 'At least, she has part of a point.'

 

'No.' Poseidon spoke up. He had never been quite the same after Percy died, becoming quieter and quieter over time. There hadn't been a demigod child of Poseidon in over three hundred years. 'No. Don't do this to them. Have they not suffered enough? Athena, you have to agree with me. They went through Tartarus for Zeus' sake!'

 

'Please, Father. Don't make them do this. Let them rest in peace. You know I wouldn't agree Poseidon if it wasn't completely necessary. Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Ares, Hades. Think of your children.'

 

'I'm sorry Athena, Poseidon. You know I have to do this. Believe me, I don't want to – that's my son too. But… Hades. You know what you have to do.' Hades nodded grimly, and stood up to leave.

‘Wait!’ Poseidon stood up, sounding increasingly frantic and desperate. ‘Don’t tell them about the prophecy yet. Please. I don’t want him to know… I want them…’ Hades nodded once again in understanding, before sweeping out of the throne room

‘If we don’t tell them now, when will we tell them?’ Zeus asked his brother

‘When they get here. They deserve just… just a little bit of time.’ Poseidon turned and followed Hades out of the room.

 

'Thalia, my lieutenant, come. We must gather the rest of the hunt. I have a feeling we will be needed before this is over.'

 

'Yes, my lady. I think that Maya took some of them into Siena for that annual horse race.' The two maidens walked outside together, discussing where different factions of hunters were across Europe.

 

'And Chiron?' Athena added as the rest of the council began to dissipate. 'Can I talk to you before you leave?'

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also posted on FanFiction.net - this version has been rewritten.


	4. The Background

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to apologise in advance for this chapter. I cried while writing it

**IV**

Jason was the first one to die. It was 2011, and he was only 16. And his death? It changed everything.

When Caligula stabbed him in the back, all he could think about was how much it hurt. He hoped that Piper got out . That she would forgive him, move on and live her life. He thought about how much he loved her. He wished he could have seen Leo one last time. He was afraid. He was confused. He had tried so hard to overcome his fatal flaw… but at least Piper was safe.

* * *

 

Piper was the next to fall, only two years later. She was attacked in an alley on the way home from school (she was so close to graduating), and just couldn't fight them all off. Or maybe she could, but she didn't. She was never really the same after Jason's death. She didn't think she could do it on her own. The hellhounds ripped her apart. She died alone, and in pain, but content. She was sad, yes, but not scared. She was going to see Jason again.

* * *

The next moment that changed everything for the remainder of the seven was a much happier one. On the 18th of August 2016, Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase got married. They had been together for seven years. It just felt right – even if only three of the five people that should have been there were. It was a beautiful ceremony, right on Camp Half Blood's beach – a ceremony that would be talked about in Olympian tabloids for centuries to come. It drew a record breaking audience on Hephaestus TV, though unfortunately not everyone tuning in was feeling very friendly towards the happy couple. Then again, everyone in attendance cited, it just wouldn't be them if they didn't have to fend off a troop of telkhines mid ceremony. Everyone, other than Aphrodite who had been seen crying due to the interruption, agreed that the two didn't care about the ceremony. They just wanted to be married.

Four years after the wedding, everything changed again. Percy and Annabeth had wanted to have kids, and had been trying for a long time with no success. Eventually they went to see Will, and discovered that neither of them could have kids. Yet another bonus of visiting Tartarus. Faced with this bomb, and having graduated college in New Rome, They moved back to Camp, as the architect and camp director. This time, they had their own cabin near the beach – designed by Annabeth of course. They decided not to adopt. They couldn’t expose an innocent kid to the dangers and horrors of demigod life. Annabeth helped Reyna continue what Jason had started, in honouring all the gods, while Percy trained campers and pushed himself further and further. It was soon undeniable that he was the best swordsman in at least the last 300 years, probably longer.

* * *

 Hazel Levesque and Frank Zhang tied the knot in the December of 2024, at Camp Jupiter. Their wedding was a lot smaller – and a lot less publicised – than Percy and Annabeth's had been, with less than twenty people in attendance. It was exactly what they had wanted, especially after what happened to Percy and Annabeth. Hazel did not want to walk down the aisle in blood and monster dust stained dress. They were deliriously happy.

 

On the 27th of February 2026, a baby girl named Emily Levesque-Zhang was born. She had her mother's cinnamon brown hair, and her father's deep brown eyes. When, at 8 months old, Emily grew a tiger's tail for the first time Hazel laughed at Frank's face so hard she fell off her chair. They had never been happier.

 

Then, tragedy struck again. Hazel was walking through New Athens, arm in arm with Frank when it happened. They were on their way to pick up Emily from where Nico and Will had been babysitting her. Frank was talking animatedly about how powerful their daughter was going to be – a tail, Hazel, at eight months old – when Hazel saw it, and suddenly froze. She saw its mesmerising yellow eyes, and suddenly she wasn't there anymore. She was thirteen again, watching Percy face Polybotes with nothing but a sword. Frank was scared, trying to shake her out of it. This hadn't happened in years. Maybe if she had been at full strength, if she hadn't just had a baby… regardless it was too late when Frank figured out what was wrong. He sliced the snake in half at the same time as the basilisk's fangs sunk into Hazel's stomach. Nico felt her life force fading and, leaving Will with the baby, immediately shadow travelled to her. Hazel died surrounded by the family she thought had abandoned her, the love she thought she would never have again. Hazel died in the knowledge that her daughter would be loved and safe, in the knowledge that she would see friends she hadn't seen in fifteen years. Hazel Levesque died with tears on her cheeks, looking into her husband's eyes, with the ghost of their last 'I love you's’ still on her lips and ringing in her ears. 

* * *

 

In 2030, Leo Valdez died – finally tipping the scales. There were now more dead members of the seven than there were living. He left behind a legacy that wouldn't fade quickly, helping Annabeth build New Athens and filling Bunker Nine with technology which wouldn't be rediscovered and understood for over 200 years. He and Annabeth managed to recreate and complete massive amounts of work left behind by Daedalus and Archimedes. Although things didn't work out between him and Calypso, he was known around camp – and remembered in myths – as 'the guy who rescued Calypso’ (as well as, obviously, his part in the war with Gaia). He died bravely, battling the Trojan Sea monster. Although Percy and Frank managed to defeat the monster and complete the quest, Leo knew in his last moments why he was dying. Sinking through the ocean, all he could think was 'I was right'. He wasn't powerful enough to kill that monster. Not like Jason. Jason who, by the time Leo saw him again, had been dead for longer than he had been alive.

* * *

 

After Hazel died, Annabeth became almost a second mother to Emily. Frank had resigned from the legion the year Hazel died, and moved to Camp Half-Blood to escape the painful memories. The remaining seven were like family now, there were so few of them left. For Percy and Annabeth, Emily was the daughter they could never have. For Emily, it was doubly cruel that she lost two mothers before the age of twelve. Annabeth Chase died in 2035. Chiron firmly believes that the only thing that kept Percy sane after that was the fact that he still had to look after Emily, and that he still had Will and Frank at least. Nico had gradually faded away to nothing after Hazel's death, not being able to cope with losing two sisters. Annabeth died alone on Mount Tamaulipas. She had heard news of Mount Othrys rising, and believed she would be the best person to go and examine the architecture. She told Percy she was visiting her brothers in San Francisco. When she arrived in front of Atlas, Hyperion sprung the trap. They had been hoping that the son of Poseidon would come, but hey – monsters weren't picky eaters. She held out for hours, one demigod with a knife against dozens of monsters and a titan. Percy arrived just in time to see her fall, just in time for him to hold her as she died. Just in time to kiss her one last time and whisper their mantra into her ear as she lay, broken, in his arms. As long as we're together. The earthquake that occurred soon after levelled the nearby city, and every person in the vicinity would dream of the heartbroken screams they heard that day for the rest of their lives.

* * *

 Frank Zhang left behind a 15 year old daughter and a broken friend. He still didn't believe he was good enough. He had gone on a scouting mission – just a scouting mission for gods' sakes – after the first rumbles of something big stirring were noticed. He had been alone, so as not to draw too much attention to the mission. The next thing Percy knew he was getting an IM from a cave somewhere, with a bleeding Frank crouching behind some rocks. He had given them invaluable information – about who this threat was, and where he would rise – but then things had taken a turn for the worst. He was trapped, with no way out. He talked to Percy for five minutes, about Emily, about Annabeth, and about Hazel. He asked what Percy would want to say to Annabeth if he could (It was a simple 'I love you'). He asked if Percy thought Hazel would be proud. And then he closed his eyes, and reached beneath the IM's field of vision. There was nothing Percy could do but watch as his last remaining friend was engulfed in a bright green explosion.

* * *

 After Frank died, Percy withdrew from the mortal world entirely. He trained harder than ever, pushing Emily harder and harder too. She would make it to her twenty-first birthday. She would. And so, two years after Frank died, when Typhon finally rose completely Percy rode into battle on Pegasus himself beside the Olympians – willing to die if it meant saving the last thing he had left of his friends, and the person he thought of as his daughter. The fight destroyed most of North America, and lasted for days. Eventually, after two days of non-stop fighting, Percy managed to make a final hit. The massive monster merely batted him out of the sky, and as he fell Percy let go of everything he had felt since he was twelve. All the resentment, grief, guilt, and anger. He took a deep breath, praying Annabeth would understand, and let out a scream. He bent the blood in Typhon's body as he fell, summoning the biggest earthquake he possibly could. As he landed beside the deep trench he had created, Percy willed Typhon down, down, down. Ever deeper. He could feel his father and the rest of the gods helping him, lending him power, letting him sacrifice himself to end this once more. The gods understood sacrifice. And as Percy drew his final breath, the crack closed and he smiled. Finally. He could see his family again. 

* * *

 

When Percy stepped through the gates of Elysium, a too long line of people waited to greet him. First, were Jason and Piper. They exchanged joyful, if slightly awkward words, for the first time in twenty years. Leo joined them, making a joke in the way only Leo could. Then a tearful Hazel, hugging him tightly and thanking him for taking care of Emily for all these years. Frank came next, quickly giving Percy a bear hug, and muttering gruffly in his ear that he had delivered Percy's message to her. And finally, came the person Percy most wanted to see. He had been scanning for her since arriving in the underworld, and she finally emerged from behind Frank. He just stared at her for a few seconds, frozen. And then they ran to each other, him picking her up and spinning her round, kissing her and talking to her at the same time as though he couldn't decide what he wanted to do first. Just the same few words over, and over, and over again.

 

'I love you, Wise Girl, I'm sorry, I love you, Wise girl, I'm sorry.'

 

She simply pressed her lips to his, shutting him up, before pulling back and looking into his eyes.

 

'I love you, Seaweed Brain. I've missed you. I love you.’

They had so much to talk about – so much left unsaid between them – but they just held each other close. It wasn’t quite the same as it was to hold her while she was alive, but close enough. Close enough.

* * *

 Annabeth was curled up on his lap, leaning against his chest as he supported the two of them. They were sitting in comfortable silence, looking out over golden sand and deceptively blue water. Content. They did this every year, without fail, on their anniversary. Not even talking sometimes, they just sat together. Those six years apart were more than they were ever willing to spend alone again.

 

And then suddenly, because apparently 630 years would be all they got, they weren't on the beach anymore. They were three feet above the ground in Hades' throne room, falling on to their arses. The rest of the seven appeared around them, some more gracefully than others.

 

'What the fuck is going on?' Percy clambered to his feet, glowering and rubbing his bruised tail bone.

 

'I'm sorry,' was all Hades could reply, 'I'm so, so sorry.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also posted on FanFiction.net.


	5. We Argue With the Lord of the Dead

**_PERCY_ **

_**V**   
_

* * *

 

_'I'm sorry,' was all Hades could reply, 'I'm so, so sorry.'_

_'Why are you sorry?' Percy asked. 'What could you possibly be sorry for at this point?'_

* * *

 

The seven were standing in the throne room, dwarfed by the colossal furniture and architecture. Jason was standing in front of Piper, eyes guarded, in a defensive stance. It suddenly occurred to Percy that Jason had never actually met the Greek lord of the dead, and was probably even more confused than Percy was – quite a feat given the current circumstances. Leo had a hand behind his back, no doubt in flames in case he needed to throw a fireball at the god of death. Hazel - understandably - looked quite relaxed, if a bit confused. Frank looked about as scared as a 6'3" completely ripped shape shifter son of Mars could, and Percy suddenly realised that this was one of the worst ways to meet your wife's parents. He felt an irrational urge to giggle. Annabeth had jumped up after Percy had risen, and was now standing with one hand on her hip, reaching for a dagger that wasn't there.

 

'Percy has a point. What are we doing here?' Piper weighed in from behind Jason.

 

'Just know that I was strongly against this. You don't deserve this.'

 

'Oh great.' Annabeth interrupted Hades, 'We're not going to like this, are we?'

 

'No you most certainly are not.' Hades grumbled, grimacing and rearranging himself in his throne as though preparing to talk for a long time. 'The monsters have escaped.'

 

Percy paled and exchanged a significant look with Frank. He hadn't realised that idiotic son of Athena’s idea would gain so much traction. Seeing the blank looks on the majority of the seven's faces, Hades sighed and began to explain.

 

'During the Third Typhon War, a son of Athena thought that it would be much more effective to trap monsters instead of killing them. Of course, Jackson here would never allow that, knowing the disastrous consequences should the monsters escape. All of us gods thought the matter was closed. However, roughly 150 years after Jackson died, a different son of Athena began to put his brother's plan in action. By this point, history had warped just enough that they thought they were doing what you seven would have wanted. In less than a hundred years, most of the monsters known to roam North America were imprisoned in the remains of the labyrinth under Camp Half-Blood. And there they stayed. Until two days ago.'

 

The seven were looking steadily paler and more nauseous as Hades continued to talk. Why. Just, why.

 

'Two days ago, the monsters escaped. As far as we know, there were no survivors, in the camp or the city. When Chiron arrived, he and Thalia received a prophecy from the grove of Dodona, which contained the line "And living heroes can't turn the tide". Apollo believes that this prophecy refers to you, as you are the last true – and perhaps some of the strongest – heroes of Olympus. As little as your parents, me included, like this, we have no choice. '

 

Annabeth seemed to take it all in the fastest. 'The thing is, we're all dead. Why should we care?'

 

'Ahhh… glad you asked that. If Olympus falls, I will lose my power over the souls. I will not be able to protect them, either. If a titan, or giant, or – us forbid – a primordial absorbed all those souls? The result would be… not good.'

 

Apparently, Hades' answer wasn't satisfactory for Annabeth. 'So you're saying that if we don't help, our souls and the souls of our friends and families will be lost forever.'

 

Hades looked quite pleased they were finally getting it. 'Yes, in a nutshell.' He responded enthusiastically.

 

Percy frowned. 'Well it's not like we have much of a choice, but I – grudgingly – accept the quest.' Why couldn't the gods sort out their own messes for once? Honestly, if Percy had a golden drachma for every time he had been used or manipulated by the gods, he would be able to buy the Underworld off Hades. Why couldn't the fucking gods get some other fucking minions? He'd been dead for centuries, for fuck's sake!

 

Percy heard his own sentiments being repeated around the room.

 

'Great!' Hades clapped his hands together. 'That sounds like a yes from everyone. Now, since all of your bodies are long long gone, I will restore all of you to your twenty-one year old bodies – or what they would have been.' Hades shot Jason and Piper a look that could almost be mistaken for sympathy. 'Your powers, and power potential, will be the same as they were when you died. You will have all the scars you had when you die – scars can be useful. You will retain all of your memories from your lives, and only the most important memories from your time spent in Elysium. Zeus almighty this is going to knock me out for a couple of months…' Hades finished, almost to himself. 'Well, we might as well get this over and done with.'

 

Hades clapped his hands again, and Percy had just enough time to clock someone screaming about crazy death gods, someone else yelling about where they would wake up, and the lord of the dead slumping on his chair fast asleep before the room dissolved around him.

 

Percy groaned as he came to. Everything hurt. He tried to lift his hand to his face, but found his arm so heavy he soon gave up. He finally gathered the nerve to open his eyes to daylight for the first time in centuries, and was greeted with the point of an Imperial gold sword in front of his face. He looked around and groaned again. His friends were all in a similar position – completely out of it and being guarded by a legionnaire with a sword. He guessed that answered the question of where they were. Then, he looked down at himself for the first time, and would have hit himself upside the head if he could have. He was wearing the blood covered, half melted, decidedly Greek armour he had died in.

 

'Centurion, this one's awake.' The voice belonged to the owner of the sword in Percy's face.

 

A great, looming shadow appeared over Percy's face. 'Finally, we'll get some answers. Are you ready to face the Praetor of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata Greacus scum?'

 

Percy just closed his eyes. Of course not even death would go smoothly for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also posted on Fanfiction.Net. There's a bit more action next chapter ;)

**Author's Note:**

> Also posted on ff.net. An idea that I couldn't get out of my head until I wrote it down, so here it is.


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